Preparation

Do not fill positions until you have had an opportunity to analyze the needs of the University and to develop an up-to-date job description. This planning ensures that long-range goals are in everyone’s mind. It counters the tendency of some current department members to prefer candidates similar to them.

Maintain quality, but check for bias. Racially sensitive admissions policies at major American universities have not compromised quality (Bowen and Box 1998).

Educate selection committees to ensure that standards are the same for all candidates.

Attach a $$$ value to diversity recruitment by providing resources and rewards: a budget and a plan for diversity recruitment, teaching remission for active recruitment activities, recognition for recruitment activities in promotion cases.

Evaluate the effectiveness of diversity recruitment efforts by monitoring diversity indicators in applications and enrollments.

Create a roundtable to discuss and brainstorm on methods of attracting minority faculty applicants.